Only 41 percent of Poles read at least one book in 2024, down from 43 percent a year earlier, according to the study by Poland’s National Library, as cited by public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
Meanwhile, 7 percent of those polled said they read seven or more books last year, state news agency PAP reported.
According to the National Library, the number of book readers dropped dramatically in Poland between 2004 and 2008. Since then readership levels have essentially been stable.
National Library director Tomasz Makowski says the level of readership in Poland has stabilised, but remains unsatisfactory.
“This is not a satisfactory result for our ambitions," Makowski said. "But compared to other Western European countries, where readership is declining, the fact that it first increased here and now remains steady is good news."
The National Library says people are reading less for a variety of reasons, including new ways of spending free time and the growing popularity of digital entertainment.
Another factor is that, with the development of communication technology, books are no longer the primary source of knowledge and information.
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Source: IAR, PAP